DARCY Lever climbed to fifth when they won at Golborne in the only game that beat the weather in the Bolton Association on Saturday.

While all eight of the other matches were called off without a ball being bowled, Golborne staged a 30-over match which began at 4pm.

While there was frustration around the Association as games were called off only to see the weather improve during late afternoon and early evening, the umpires held off postponing the game at Golborne.

They directed the teams to have tea early at 3.30pm before uninterrupted play started half an hour later.

The visitors won by 56 runs – making it three wins and two defeats in their completed games this season – to rise two places up the table, just seven points off top spot.

Dominic Gavin continued to show his liking for the Golborne ground when he took 5-47 off his 12 overs.

He has had two eight-wicket hauls at Golborne in the past and was again Darcy’s standout performer.

Captain Nick Fawcett (34 runs), playing at number three, professional Rashid Yousaf (31) at number two, and number four Andy Patel (23) got Darcy off to a solid start before they completed their innings on 162-8.

Mark Farrar took 2-34 and Josh Hallion 2-50 for the home side.

In reply, opener Ciaran Vesey was outstanding with 51 of his side’s first 60 runs before he was out.

But that was the end of Golborne’s challenge as they went from 61-1 to 106 all out with 13 and 11 the only other two scores in double figures.

It was a tale of frustration everywhere else, not least because the rain subsided shortly after most abandonments and the sun even broke out in the early evening.

Already this season there have been a number of programmes severely hit by the weather.

Peter Flatley, secretary of Association new boys Swinton Moorside – whose home game against Flixton was called off at around 2.30pm – said his club had had more games rained off this year than in the last three years put together.

Standish captain Sam Heeley was philosophical after seeing the weather change for the better just after the visiting Astley and Tyldesley team had left for home.

“We did take the covers off at one point but the track needed a bit of drying up and we took an early tea.

“But it started raining again and it was decided to call it off.

“A&T left about quarter past three and about 15 or 20 minutes later it started drying out and we could have got a shortened game in, but it was too late.

“That’s the way it goes.”

There was frustration also at the games between Atherton and Adlington, Blackrod and Elton, Bury and Daisy Hill, Lostock and Edgworth, Walshaw and Little Hulton and Winton and Worsley.

Ipsoregulated

This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation's Editors' Code of Practice. If you have a complaint about the editorial content which relates to inaccuracy or intrusion, then please contact the editor here. If you are dissatisfied with the response provided you can contact IPSO here